The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced the bracket for this week's upcoming GLVC Baseball Tournament. The University of Illinois Springfield baseball program will be the top seed out of the Green Division in its fifth straight tournament appearance.
 
UIS will open up the double-elimination tournament on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with a first-round game against Lewis. The other teams on the Prairie Stars side of the bracket are Indianapolis and Rockhurst. The other side of the bracket includes Quincy, Missouri S&T, Lindenwood, and Southern Indiana.
 
This year's tournament will take place in St. Charles, Mo. at the Lou Brock Sports Complex. There will be four games on Thursday through Saturday, and up to three contests on championship Sunday. Eighty spectators per team, per game will be admitted, but they must be on a "will-call" list prior to arrival. Masking (over nose and mouth) and social distancing will be required at all times inside the stadium. Spectators must exit the facility immediately following each game. 
 
UIS, which was ranked fourth in last week's national poll, enters the tournament with a 34-5 overall record, its second-best regular season winning percentage in program history. The Prairie Stars won the GLVC Green Division with a 34-5 mark. They played ten weekend series this season, and captured series wins in all ten.
 
UIS enters the postseason with one of the balanced teams in the nation. The Prairie Stars rank in the top-five nationally in several offensive categories, including second in scoring. UIS is also tenth in NCAA Division II in ERA, and 15th in fielding percentage.
 
The Prairie Stars' first-round opponent, Lewis, enters the tournament with 23-16 overall record. It finished tied for third in the GLVC Blue Division with an 18-14 mark. Earlier this season, UIS defeated Lewis in three out of four games that were played in Romeoville, Ill.
 
UIS is making its sixth all-time appearance in the GLVC Championships, and is looking for its first title. In the last GLVC Tournament, in 2019, the Prairie Stars reached the championship game before falling in the finals.